Triple Threats

May 25, 2000|By SHARON ROBB Staff Writer

They were the kid sisters, tagging along to watch their brothers at swim meets, cross country races and track meets.

When they got old enough, they started running and swimming on their own. Both were state champions at South Florida high schools and earned scholarships to colleges in Texas. But they found their own niche in a sport that was still looking for wings in the early 1990s.

With triathlon's Olympic debut four months away in Sydney, Australia, Gina Derks-Gardner of Davie and Laura Reback of North Palm Beach will compete Saturday at the Olympic Triathlon Trials in Dallas.

A field of 25 women, including former Pine Crest swimmer and favorite Barbara Metz Lindquist, former Fort Lauderdale Swim Team swimmer Sheila Taormina and former North Palm Beach triathlete Katie Webb will compete for two available spots.

Jennifer Gutierrez was the first American woman to earn a spot on the Olympic team when she finished seventh at the April 16 International Triathlon Union Australia Triathlon World Cup event in Sydney. The men's trials are Sunday.

"This is what I've been working for all my life," said Derks-Gardner, 28, a high school state champion runner at Miami Gulliver Prep and All-American swimmer at Texas. "The Olympics mean everything to me.

"Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to go to the Olympics. I never knew what sport, I just wanted to go. Then triathlon came along."

Derks-Gardner and Reback are ranked among the top 10 women in the country and the top 55 by the ITU. They have competed in Australia, Japan, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil and the Philippines.

"I take 100 percent credit for her running," said older brother Chris Derks, a world-class open-water swimmer. "If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't be where she is right now. If she wanted to survive childhood, she had to run faster than me to get away from my harassing her. Of course, she would catch and smack me, and I'd get sent to my room for the weekend."

Most recently, Derks-Gardner, ranked 52nd internationally, was top American finisher in an ITU race in South America. Reback, ranked 42nd, has been training in Australia and Colorado Springs with the national team. She was the fourth American finisher at the World Championships in Perth, Australia.

"I just liked the idea of doing all three sports--swimming, cycling and running--in a race, but the Olympics was never in the back of my mind because when I started it wasn't an Olympic sport," said Reback, 25, a high school state champion cross country and track runner at Cardinal Newman and All-American swimmer at Southern Methodist.

The Rebacks are known as the "first family of triathlon" around the state. Dad Paul and brothers John and David Reback are all elite-age group triathletes.

They all finished the Hawaii Ironman last October.

"Laura always had to finish her meals before us, get the mail before us and beat us to the restroom," said John Reback, who will miss his sister's race this weekend because he is committed to compete in a Half-Ironman in Kona, Hawaii. "I think her early competitiveness carried over into her racing."

During a group training ride on Jupiter Island this year, Laura and John were involved in a cycling accident.

Both escaped serious injury. "She looked down and saw my face looking up as her tire ran over my neck, and she went flying over the handlebars," John said. "I had a tire mark from my ear to my neck and a sprained neck. She was fine. She's tough."

Aside from the Dallas heat, logistics will make or break this weekend's races. Because organizers want to make the event as much like the Olympic course as possible, they may put blocks of ice in the water to simulate the coldness in Sydney Harbor and require swimmers to wear wetsuits.

In another attempt to make the trials resemble the Games, international athletes are being allowed to compete. Drafting is also allowed.